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Published: January 2nd 2012
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Your correspondent has returned from a rum soaked few weeks and is ready to blog again, this time solely fuelled by beer. Travelling in Ecuador requires a level of drunkenness so I complied.
After the Galapagos it is quite a culture shock to return to Quito. Sprawling is an apt and properly spelt word for the place. We had many tales of terror about it and you certainly need your wits about you and 360 degree vision. We did not have any untoward moments, but our friends had loose stools thrown at them followed up by people rushing over to them with towels to offer a cleaning service while emptying their rucksack. Quite nasty.
Anyway, our plans were to see Cotopaxi, the middle of the world and other delights that are only available in Ecuador. To manage these exploits it was necessary to use a bus – so we went to the bus station. By using this ingenious method, we travelled south to a town which calls itself Latacunga. Most of the people who live there seem to call it that as well. The road to the town takes you past Cotopaxi – the highest active volcano not just
in Ecuador but the whole world. At nearly 20,000 ft, I was expecting to see it tower over us in all it’s glory, except it was covered in cloud and I could only see a few feet of it at the base. Never mind, I mused, we were planning to venture up it the next day, so wasn’t too worried.
The next day came and it was snowing this time. Your correspondent and Wendy took an hour just to walk up from 4,500 metres to 5,000 metres. Yes, an hour to climb 500 metres. It was all uphill (strange for a volcano) and in a blizzard we found it a slight struggle. Our guide kept telling us to walk slowly, which was a bit wasted as that is the only speed I walk at.
So we walked for 500 metres – I would love to tell you that we had climbed the whole 5,000 metres, but that would not be entirely honest, well it would be a blatant lie as we were driven for the first 4500 metres – but at least we were in a position to look up and see this amazing volcano. Well, we would
have seen it if it wasn’t blowing a gale, snowing and covered in clouds again. Thwarted we returned to Latacunga and drank beer and rum.
The following day we ventured to an extinct volcano by the name of Quilotoa. The crater here has formed into a huge lake and guess what ???? it was sunny. We could see it clearly in all it’s glory and it was beautiful. Of course, when we walked down into the crater, much mist descended and it was touch and go if we would make it to the bottom. It was rather treacherous as volcanic ash is not the best thing to be walking on, but thankfully in situations like this, I always carry a small puppy or kitten as a suitable replacement.
As the more alert of my dear readers will have worked out, walking down a crater involves walking back up. We were told that the record time for the ascent was a mere 12 minutes. 90 minutes later we scrambled our way back up and collapsed in a bar for food and liquid refreshment.
We returned to Latacunga and drank rum and beer.
Once your correspondent sobered up,
a trip to Mitad del Mundo (middle of the earth) was required. A taxi was provided by our friend Miguel and off we went. I was expecting the equator to be in the middle of a desert where a collection of mad scientists and llamas would be carrying out strange and wonderful experiments, but it is actually in a small suburb just north of Quito. If it were down to me, I would move it a bit further north and change the coordinates.
After taking several photographs of signs pointing out that we were on the equator, we were shown some amazing sights. Take a sink, and a bowl of humble water, and watch it pour down the plug and it goes straight down!!! yes dear readers, none of this swirling clockwise or anti clockwise just straight down. We then moved the sink a metre to the south and the water swirled again, and then a metre to the north and it swirled the other way!!!
Other tests to show the influence of being in the middle of the world included being told to close your eyes and stretch out your arms (like a drunk driving test) and
then walk along the equator line. It was impossible, all sense of balance leaves you and you cannot walk more than a few paces without stumbling or falling over. Of course, your correspondent usually walks like that anyway – with or without rum.
As it was close to 25
th December, we went for a xmas meal with Neil and Nilla who were returning home the next day. We miss them a lot now. That night though, was very entertaining. The locals were amused to see us all in santa hats and drinking copious amounts of alcohol and having so much fun. There were sore heads the next day, and Nilla lost the contents of her stomach at the airport car park. I can feel the love from her as she reads that comment.
Your correspondent also managed to go a game of football in Quito. What an amazingly civilised stadium. Senoras come along and offer you their wares – well, beer and food. It was a great place to be, watching a game and drinking litres of beer under a hot sun. To make sure I didn’t dehydrate, I consumed enough cerveza for a small town in a
big country.
We survived Quito.
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Albert
non-member comment
looking relaxed guys. Can't think why!